Chair

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to furniture, and particularly to furniture constructed of plastic-molded components and arranged in such a manner to provide a decorative appearance similar to wood-constructed furniture.

United States Patent Inventor Donald W. Barker South Boston, Va. App].No. 830,223 Filed June 2, 1969 Patented Oct. 5, 1971 Assignee DaystromVirtue, Inc.

Houston, Tex.

CHAIR 1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 297/445, 297/D1G. 1, 312/204, 108/150 Int. Cl A47c l/l2, A47b17/04, A47b 35/00 Field of Search 297/446, 450, 422,421, 442,411,460,463; 312/1 1 1; 108/150; 248/188.7

Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam AllorneysErnest R. Archambeau, Jr.,William .1, Beard,

Donald H. F idler, David L. Moseley, Edward M. Roney and William R.Sherman ABSTRACT: This invention relates to furniture, and particularlyto furniture constructed of plastic-molded components and arranged insuch a manner to provide a decorative appearance similar towood-constructed furniture.

PATENTEU BET 5197! SHEET 2 OF 2 INVIL N'IUR BYJM 92 2144) CHAIR Thepresent invention relates to a chair construction comprised of a base, apedestal support and a chair seat assembly. Each of the components ofthe chair are constructed from high-impact, heat-resistant, polystyreneexcept for certain metal support parts. The components are functionallyinterrelated to provide an appearance of continuous construction. Thechair seat assembly is further constructed from separately molded partswhich are functionally integrated to give a continuity in appearance aswell as a solid structural interrelationship.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improvedchair construction of plastic formed components which are interrelatedfunctionally to provide an appearance of continuity in design as well asa sturdy constructionalarrangement.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improvedchair construction of sturdy, inexpensive materials which closelysimulates a wood chair construction.

The novel features of the present invention are set forth withparticularity in the appended claims.

The invention together with further objects and advantages thereof, maybest be understood by way of illustration and example of certainembodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a chair embodying the present invention with aportion thereof in cross section to illustrate construction details;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional area taken through the basesection of the chair;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a chair back with the right-hand portion shownin an exploded view arrangement relative to an assembled chair back andleft-hand side portion; and

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

The chair construction, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a floor base memberhaving two diametrically opposed leg portions 11 and 12 in the plane ofthe drawing and two diametrically opposed leg portions (not shown)extending perpendicular to the drawing to form a cross-shaped base. Thebase is made from a one-piece mold of high-impact, heat-resistant,polystyrene molded to desired ornamental configuration. Attached to thebase is a pedestal portion generally indicated at 14 and attached to thepedestal portion is a chair frame generally indicated at 15.

The pedestal portion 14 includes a steel pipe or structural member 15which has a washer l6 welded to its lower end as shown in FIG. 2. Theend of the pipe is received within a cylindrical recess 17 in the base13. A bolt 18 is welded to the washer l6 and extends through the washeropening and an opening 19 in the base 13 so that the metal supportcolumn 15 can be attached to the base member 13 by means of a nut andwasher 20 and 21 located within the recess 22 in the lower face of thebase member. The base member 13 has a cylindrical recess or counterbore23 concentrically arranged relative to recess 17 and receives an annularlip portion 24 of a plasticforrned sheath 25. The plastic sheath 25 hassurfaces which abut with base surfaces 26 and edge surfaces 26a whichprovide a continuity of the outer surface configuration between the baseand the sheath. Recess 23 is also provided with an offset recess portion27 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 which receives a correspondingly sizedprojection 28 on the sheath 25. The interiitting of the projection 28with the recess 27 prevents rotation of the sheath 25 relative to thebase member 13.

Sheath 25, as shown in FIG. 1, can have an artistic configuration and isarranged at its upper end to have an opening which is closely sized tothe diameter of the pipe member 15 for a close-fitting arrangement toprovide rigidity of the sheath member on the tubular member 15. In theupper, opened end of the pipe 15, a Nylon sleeve is received and intothe sleeve, a swivel mandrel 30 is inserted, the mandrel 30 having agroove 31. A pin 32 extends through the tube 15 into the groove 31 toprovide an interlocking of the mandrel to the base member and yet permitfree rotation of the mandrel 30 relative to the metal pipe member 15. Atthe upper end of the mandrel 30 is a base plate 33 which is welded tothe end of mandrel 30 to which the bottom of the chair is attached byscrews in the usual fashion.

The chair frame assembly 15, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, is comprised ofa left side 35, a back portion 36 and a right side 37. The back portion36 is formed to curve about a radius and has vertically arranged sideedges 37 extending generally lengthwise of the chair back from itslowermost surface to an overhanging side contour portion 40. In the oneside edge 37 shown, which is illustrative of the principle ofconstruction, a square-shaped groove 38 extends lengthwise of the edgeand is adapted to receive a suitably sized square-shaped tang portion 39on a side member 37. The contour portions 40 which extend beyond theside edges 37 have depending diamondshaped and tapered projections 41which fit into complementarily shaped recesses 42 (FIG. 5) in each ofthe sidearrns. The interconnection of the side and back members providesa concealed structural coupling which will withstand the forcesencountered in use.

Thus, for assembly, gluing material is applied to the mating edge andthe tang portion 39 fitted into groove 38 while a depending tang 41 fitsinto a recess 42 in a side member. At the lowermost portion of the chairback 36 is a rectangularly shaped notch 42 and a corresponding notch 43is located in an adjacent side portion. Notches 42 and 43 form a recesswhich receives an L-shaped bracket 44 which by means of screws,functions to clamp or tie the bottom part of a chair side to the bottompart of the chair back. The inwardly extending portion of the bracket 44provides a support on which the seat member is attached. Four brackets,two near the front of the construction as well as the rear pair ofcoupling brackets are sufficient to support the chair seat.

The joined edges of a side and the chair back are shown at 45 in FIGS. 1and 4, these edges being rather inconspicuous in the overallconstructional arrangement of the chair.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the chairconstruction provides an integrally formed chair which has considerablestructural soundness and yet provides the aesthetic appearance of beautyand design found only in more expensive wood carved furniture.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been shownand described, it is apparent that changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from this invention in its broader aspects; and,therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changesand modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of thisinvention.

Iclaim:

l. A chair comprising: a seat assembly including a back member andrightand left-hand side members, said back member having curved upperand lower portions, said lower portion having forwardly facing sidesurfaces that interface with rearwardly facing end surfaces on said sidemembers, said upper portion having integrally formed side extensionsprojecting forwardly and overhanging a rearward portion of each sidemember; first interengaged projection and recess means for securing eachside member to a respective side extension; second interengagedprojection and recess means for securing said side surfaces of saidlower portion to said end surfaces on said side members; bracketelements attached to each respective side element and to said lowerportion to securely tie each side member to said back member; a seatmember received between said side members and fixed thereto; and apedestal support for said seat assembly including a base component, arigid upright structural means secured to said base com ponent, meansfor attaching said upright structural means to said seat member, aplastic, ornamental sheath surrounding said upright structural means,said base component and said sheath having complementarily arrangedinterfitting portions. and means for securing said sheath to said basecomponent.

1. A chair comprisIng: a seat assembly including a back member andright- and left-hand side members, said back member having curved upperand lower portions, said lower portion having forwardly facing sidesurfaces that interface with rearwardly facing end surfaces on said sidemembers, said upper portion having integrally formed side extensionsprojecting forwardly and overhanging a rearward portion of each sidemember; first interengaged projection and recess means for securing eachside member to a respective side extension; second interengagedprojection and recess means for securing said side surfaces of saidlower portion to said end surfaces on said side members; bracketelements attached to each respective side element and to said lowerportion to securely tie each side member to said back member; a seatmember received between said side members and fixed thereto; and apedestal support for said seat assembly including a base component, arigid upright structural means secured to said base component, means forattaching said upright structural means to said seat member, a plastic,ornamental sheath surrounding said upright structural means, said basecomponent and said sheath having complementarily arranged interfittingportions, and means for securing said sheath to said base component.